Vital sign radars: Past, present, and future

The research of vital sign radars using microwave technologies grows rapidly in recent years. Such type of radars, whether using continuous-wave (CW), ultra-wideband (UWB), or other types of signals, spurred interests and new applications because of the capability of detecting respiration and heartbeat without any sensor device contacting the body. Several applications that may potentially save lives or improve healthcare have been suggested. Since 1975 when the experimental demonstration of this noncontact vital sign detection concept was first reported, it has been nearly 40 years. One might be wondering what have been achieved in the past four decades, why this technology has not been transformed to real products around us, and what might happen next. This presentation intends to address the questions by reviewing the past research accomplishments of vital sign radars and envisioning the future trends in both research and commercialization.